Air travel “You can finally get to Florida,” rejoiced Matti Mecklin, 81, who flew to New York and was not bothered by the Helsinki-Vantaa queues.

What queue!

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport looked the same on Monday evening as ever before the corona epidemic. Only the masks said the epidemic is not over yet.

The atmosphere, on the other hand, was relaxed. While the departure lounge pulsated with life, the holiday stress of air travel shone with its absence.

The smile was sensitive even for Finns. Now let’s get on the plane again! Quiet runways are just a memory.

Helsinki Matti Mecklin, 81, was one of the Finns traveling to JFK airport in New York.

“I’m changing machines in New York. My destination is West Palm Beach in Florida. Now, perhaps it is appropriate to say that at last, ”Mecklin said.

Monday since the United States has allowed fully vaccinated leisure travelers into the country. Travel is free for vaccinated air passengers as well as those arriving by land from Canada or Mexico.

Those traveling by air must have a recent negative corona test result, up to 72 hours old.

So does Mecklin: he took the test on the morning of the day of travel.

“I went from nine, I got a negative result from ten. Fast action. ”

Before the epidemic, Mecklin spent winters in Florida with his wife. Now he was able to fly to his second home for the first time in two years.

“The wife couldn’t get in now because of her health, and for herself, this is just a short trip, the return is in two weeks. However, there are plans to make a month-long trip in the spring, ”says Mecklin.

He considers restrictive measures related to the coronavirus to be absolutely necessary.

“There is no harm in them, on the contrary. My wife and I have already received our third vaccines, and I went to get the flu shot, so everything necessary has been done, ”says Mecklin.

Finnair’s flight AY015 departed Helsinki-Vantaa on Monday more than half an hour late.

United States imposed its first travel restrictions as early as January 2020. At that time, travel was blocked by a coronavir-stricken China.

As the pandemic spread around the world, the United States restricted travel from Europe, among other places.

At the U.S. land border, leisure Travel has been at a standstill since March last year.